Frame cavity cover plate for injection molding system

ABSTRACT

An ejector housing cover plate for an injection mold system having an upper stationary portion and a lower movable portion. The upper portion has a support member and a cavity core, while the lower portion has a frame defining an interior opening, a support member and a frame core. An ejector system is positioned within the opening and is movable to eject newly molded products when a molded product has been formed. The opening in the frame can result in the collection of dust, moisture and other foreign materials inside the opening and the possible damage to the mold or ejector system, so an ejector system cover plate is provided. The cover plate covers the opening during operation of the system and when the system is inactive or stored.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention is for an improvement in an injection molding assembly and, more particularly, to an ejector housing cover plate for an injection mold system to prevent dust, water and other foreign materials from affecting operation of the system.

[0003] 2. Description of the prior Art

[0004] Injection molding of plastics to form articles of utility for a variety of industries has fast become the most convenient and acceptable method for forming plastic products of all varieties. An injection molding assembly is made up of an injection molding machine and an injection mold system which is positioned within the injection molding machine. The mold has an upper portion and an upper cavity core (commonly referred to the A portion), both of which are movable in a generally vertical direction. A lower portion (the B portion) which includes a support member and a lower stationary cavity core are supported by the frame which has a base, 2 sides and an opening which contains a movable ejector assembly. The ejector assembly is connected to several individual levers, and they cooperatively function to move upwardly and downwardly to eject molded products from the mold as they are formed. Each of the cavity cores are affixed to their associated upper or lower support member. The cavity cores are made with the product design to be molded; i.e, when they are brought together, the cores engage each other and together form a full mold for the product. In operation, the lower portion moves to the upper portion with great pressure, and a particulate plastic or other suitable material in liquid form is forced into the closed core or full mold formed.

[0005] After molding and the upper and lower portion (including the cavity cores) are fully separated, the ejector assembly moves the mold-formed article away from the mold system for cooling and additional finishing if that is needed. The traditional structure of the lower portion of the mold system has a space left open at the front and rear exposing a part of the ejecting system. During operation, the opening or ejector housing in which in which the system moveably resides is constantly changing in configuration depending upon it precise location within the opening.

[0006] Because of the great forces required to operate the injection mold system and the exposed opening in the frame, there is a possibility that dust, trash, airborne particles, moisture, ejected molded products or other foreign and undesirable materials can enter the ejector housing during machine operation and cause great damage to the mold or its components. Even when the system is inactive, perhaps in storage, dirt or other trash can collect in the opening thus requiring that it be cleaned and serviced before it can be re-activated. Thus protection from and prevention of such activity is critically needed to prevent machine or component damage and avoid costly shutdowns. It is to this need that the present invention is directed.

OBJECTIVES AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] It is a primary objective of the present invention to provide an effective and cost efficient device to prevent the entry or collection of dirt, moisture and unwanted other materials into the ejector housing of an injection mold system when the machine is active or inactive.

[0008] Another objective of the invention is to provide a device of the type described that can be quickly installed and removed without the use of complicated tools or other components.

[0009] Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a device of the type described that can be made from a variety of inexpensive materials.

[0010] A further objective of the invention is to provide a device of the type described that can be used for another unrelated purpose.

[0011] The present invention is a device meeting the objectives described which is preferably a section of flat stock material generally rectangular in configuration of a size sufficient to cover and close the openings in the frame opening of an injection mold system. The cover plate overlaps all edges of the opening and is held in place by metalic tape, hook and loop fasteners or any other adhering elements that will engage it at the overlapping locations and hold it in position over the frame cavity opening.

[0012] On occasion in the written description that follows, reference will be made to the opening in frame as “frame opening,” “ejector housing,” and “opening.” When used, it is to understood that they all refer to the same element, the opening in the frame formed by the frame bottom and sides and the support member residing on the two sides of the frame.

[0013] Another use for the present invention is as a logo carrying or supporting component since it is readily observed by even the most fleeting glance of an individual generally present at a location near the machine. Mold builders can use the present invention on new machine for the primary purpose and can also bring the name of the manufacturer prominently to potential customers and satisfied users and customers.

[0014] Thus there has been outlined the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In that respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its arrangement of the components set forth in the following description and illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.

[0015] It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting in any respect Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of this development. It is important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent methods and products resulting therefrom that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The application is neither intended to define the invention, which is measured by its claims, nor to limit its scope in any way.

[0016] Thus, the objectives of the invention set forth above, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are noted with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific results obtained by its use, reference should be made to the following detailed specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.

[0017] The drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. They illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional injection mold system to which the present invention relates and on which the present invention is used;

[0019]FIG. 2 is a perspective and exploded view of the a mold stationary lower away from which the ejector housing cover plate of the present invention has been alignably displaced;

[0020]FIG. 3 is a partial plan and fragmentary view of one corner of the cover plate of the present invention showing the positioning of the securing material used to hold the cover plate in an overlapping relationship with the ejector housing; and

[0021]FIG. 4 is a partial and end elevational and fragmentary view of the corner of the cover plate shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0022] Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, a conventional injection mold system shown generally as 10 having an ejector housing 12 which includes a bottom 14 and sides 16, 18. A movable lower support member 20 forms a top for frame 12 and fixedly supports a lower movable cavity core 22. An upper moveable support member 24 is secured to an upper cavity core 26. These move together upwardly and downwardly during the molding operation.

[0023] A platen 28 is moveably positioned within the opening 30 formed with frame 12. Strain rods and other cooperating structure (not shown) provide a track for movement of upper support member 24 and upper cavity core 26 toward and away from lower support member 22 and lower cavity core 22. An ejecting device 32 is formed from a plurality of individual moveable levers 34 the lower ends of which connect to platen 28. Levers 34 extend upwardly through opening 30, platen 24 and mold cavity core 22. FIG. 2 illustrates upper ends 36 of ejecting device 32 flush with the upper surface 38 of cavity core 22, the upper cavity core 26 and upper support member 24 removed from the drawing.

[0024] The solution to the unwanted material accumulation problem in opening 30 is the provision of an ejector housing cover plate shown generally as 40. Plate 40 has a generally rectangular configuration sufficient in size to provide overlapping closure of the front and back frame openings. The placement of plate 40 over frame opening 30 is shown in FIG. 2.

[0025] To hold plate 40 securely over frame opening 30, a securing material or substance is applied along its perimeter. An example of a very appropriate material is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 wherein magnetic tape 42 is placed continuously along the perimeter of plate 40. The thickness of the tape need not be great—only enough to insure that the movement of platen 28 is not impeded by its contact and frictional engagement with cover plate 40. A thickness of {fraction (1/16)}^(th) inch is quite sufficient, and an even thinner tape functions quite satisfactorily.

[0026] Plate 40 may be made of many different materials, however a section of acrylic material combines the natural strength and weight of that material in a most satisfactory way to provide a product having an exceptionally long life.

[0027] Plate 40 is ideally suited for a second objective since its location on machine 10 provides a very visible location for a manufacturer or distributor to apply its well know logo or corporate name. Such application may well enhance t he value of this innovative development This invention may be embodied in the primary embodiment described with particularity herein, however it may also be suited for other applications. It may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore urged that the preferred embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the appended claims rather to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An injection mold system comprising: an upper stationary portion including a support member and an upper cavity core secured to the support member; a lower movable portion including a frame with an opening, a lower support member forming a top for the frame and opening, and a lower cavity core carried by the lower support member, the lower movable portion movable toward the upper stationary portion until the lower cavity core engages the upper cavity core to form a full cavity shaped to make a desired product; an ejector assembly positioned within the opening operable to eject molded products from the mold system when the upper cavity and lower cavity cores are separated after molding; and an ejector system cover plate secured at least to the frame to close the cavity and prevent the entry of dust, moisture and other foreign materials into the cavity.
 2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame opening is the ejector housing.
 3. The system as claimed in claim 1 the ejector assembly includes an interior platen and one or more ejector rods movable to engage and eject the molded product.
 4. The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the frame opening is the ejector housing.
 5. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ejector housing cover plate is magnetically secured at least to the frame.
 6. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the cover plate has selectively positioned magnetic tape to hold the cover plate against the frame.
 7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ejector housing cover plate is secured to the frame by hook and loop fasteners.
 8. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ejector cover plate is made of acrylic material.
 9. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the ejector housing cover plate is made of acrylic material.
 10. The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the ejector housing cover plate is made of acrylic material.
 11. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the ejector housing cover plate is made of acrylic material.
 12. The system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the ejector housing cover plate is used to display an owner logo or name.
 13. An improved injection mold system of the type having an upper stationary portion including an upper support member and upper cavity core, a lower movable portion having a frame wit an opening, a lower support member forming a top for the frame and opening, a lower cavity core carried by the lower support member, the lower support portion movable toward the upper stationary portion until the lower cavity core engages the upper cavity core to form a full cavity shaped to make a designed product, an ejector positioned within the opening operable to eject molded products from the mold system when the upper and lower cavity cores are separated after molding, wherein the improvement comprises: an ejector system cover plate secured at least to the frame to close the cavity and prevent the entry of dust, moisture and other foreign materials into the opening.
 14. The system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the frame opening is the ejector housing.
 15. The system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the ejector assembly includes an interior platen and one or more ejector rods movable to eject molded products.
 16. The system as claimed 13 wherein the ejector assembly includes an interior platen and one or more ejector rods movable to eject molded products.
 17. The improvement as claimed in claim 10 wherein the ejector housing cover plate is magnetically secured to the frame.
 18. The improvement as claimed in claim 11 wherein the ejector housing cover plate has selectively positioned magnetic tape to hold the cover plate against the frame.
 19. The improvement as claimed in claim 12 wherein the ejector housing cover plate is secured to the frame by hook and loop fasteners.
 20. The improvement as claimed in claim 10 wherein the ejector housing cover plate is made of acrylic material.
 21. The improvement as claimed in claim 10 wherein the ejector housing cover plate is used to display a logo or identifying name. 